Many slag removal systems are known. However, the present system prevents jamming and feed rate problems and does an excellent job of slag removal.
The closest known prior art includes a machine in which the conveyor travels over a back plate which is suspended on air bags, but in which the remainder of the conveyor is not so suspended. With such a bed plate, changes in the location of the bed plate cause changes in the length of the conveyor and stretch the belt.
There is also a known machine in which the entire sanding belt, with its supports and its drive motor, is pivoted at the center and biased by a pneumatic cylinder toward the work piece. It is very difficult to maintain the unit stable and parallel to the work piece to give a smooth surface. Moreover, the large rotating mass is a problem and the entire machine is unnecessarily complicated.